Footwear



Patented Jan. 30, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOOTWEAR Illinois Application September 14, 1931 Serial No. 562,622

16 Claims.

This invention relates to footwear, and, among other objects, aims to provide footwear having an improved arch supporting structure.

The nature of the invention may be readily understood by reference to an illustrative construction embodying the invention and shown in the accompanying drawing.

In said drawing:

Fig. l is a longitudinal sectional elevation of a ladys shoe embodying the improved construction, and showing an outline of the bones of the foot in order to illustrate the position of the support relative to the anterior metatarsal arch of the foot;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the arch support member;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section on an enlarged scale of the forward portion of the arch support;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section thereof taken on the line l4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the underside of the forward portion of the arch support showing the hinged elements thereof separated to clarify illustration;

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section through the forward portion of an arch support showing a different'means for preventing longitudinal detachment of the hinged members;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the lower portion of such parts showing the support upwardly flexed at the hinge; and

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the hinge end of the rear section or shank of the arch support.

The illustrative arch support comprises two main elements, namely a. shank 10 and a front sec- 12 for the transverse or anterior metatarsal arch. The two hinged elements 10 and 11 cooperate to provide a support for the longitudinal arch of the foot which is capable of flexing upwardly in response to the normal flexure of the foot and shoe in walking and yet which prevents downward flexure or flattening of the arch beyond a pre-, determined point, thereby serving as a positive support for the arch only in the event a support is necessary. The capacity of the support to flex upwardly not only permits the arch of the shoe to be curved upwardly against the arch of the foot in lacing or fastening the shoe on the foot (as distinguished from forcing the arch of the foot downwardly to conform with an inflexible arch support), but allows perfect freedom of the foot arch to flex-and benefit by exercise if no supportbe required. Therefore, it does not tend to,

weaken (by lack of exercise) any foot arch which no longer requires a support.

' Fig. 1.

tion 11 hinged thereto and embodying a support- The illustrative support shown in Figs. -1 to 5 is particularly designed for womens shoes whose extremely narrow shank requires a correspondingly narrow shank 13 for thearch support, and yet one which is sumciently strong to bear ones weight. For this purpose the elements 10 and 11 of the support are preferably made of good quality steel and the shank 13 as well as the front section 11 is made in channel form (in this case of a curved cross section for the shank) to provide reinforcing edges or flanges 14 which stiffen the shank.

The support is preferably built into the shoe and lies between the insole 15 and the outsole 16. Generally the usual plastic or cementitious material l7 and loose felt 18 are employed as fillers between the insole and outsole and lie along the sides of the arch support. The support is located in the shoe so that the support 12 for the anterior metatarsal arch will lie just behind the heads of the metatarsal-bones 19. The support 12 is,'in the present case, dome-like in character and has a contour-which corresponds to the proper curvature of the transverse arch.

The sections 10 and -11 of the support hinge relative to each other approximately on the dotted line 20, Figs'l, 3 and 7. The hinge, in the present case, is such as to permitthe upward flexing of the support (see Fig. 7), but prevents flattening of the arch by a limitation on downward. flexure beyond a certain point shown, for example, in Such hinge is provided, in the present case, by what may be termed interlocking fingers 21 and 22 on the sections 10 and 11 respectively; The so-called finger 22, in the present case, is a prolongation of the channel formation which is pressed in the body of the section llfor purposes of stiffening and reinforcement (see Fig. 5) ,and is provided with stiffening flanges 23 which give it adequate strength. The sections 11 and 12 are hinged or interfitted by telescoping them so that the finger 22 lies on top of the channel of the shank and the fingers 21 lie above the-laterally extending flanges 24 of the front section 11. The engagement of the fingers 21 with the flanges 24 and the channel shaped finger 22 with the bottom of the channel in the shank, prevents the downward flexure of the arch support beyond a predetermined point. When flexed upwardly, the fingers 21'and 22 respectively rise above the portions of the opposite member on which they normally rest (see Fig. 7). Y

The metatarsal support 12, in the present case, is an integral part of the forward section 11 and is formed by bending an extremity backward on the line 25 upon the section 11. To provide an increased bearing surface, particularly for preventing the front end of the section 11 in ladies shoes from cutting or digging into the sole, the metal forming the bent back support 12 is severed in its middle portion to leave an integral bearing foot 26 projecting forwardly to distribute the weight which would otherwise be concentrated at the line 25. In the relatively narrow supports in ladies shoes this would cause an undesirably great concentration of weight which might damage the sole.

After the sections 10 and ll are assembled, they are advantageously held against detachment, not only to simplify the operation of properly placing the support in the shoe but to prevent any accidental or deliberate detachment of the parts after the shoe has been completed. In wor'nens shoes, particularly, owing to the extreme flexibility at the shank of the shoe, the elements 10 and 11 are protected against accidental or deliberate detachment inside the shoe by an extreme twisting of the shank of the shoe.

In the present instance, the sections 11 and 12 are connected by a flexible element in the form of a flat spring 2'7 which lies in the channel of the shank and is connected both to the shank and to the section 11 permitting them to flex freely, but preventing their detachment. As here shown, the connecting element 27 extends to the rear end of the shank and is anchored or fastened at 28 by a rivet. Its rear extremity advantageously projects somewhat to the rear of the channel of the shank and is perforated at 29 to provide a hole through which a tack may be driven in initially assembling the support in the shoe. The forward end of the connecting element 27 may be attached to the front section 11 by a rivet in the same manner as its attachment to the section 10 or other appropriate means. It is here shown connected to the forward section by a pair of integral lugs 30 struckdownwardly from the central portion of the body of the sec-,- tion 11 and entering registering perforations 31 in the connecting element 2'7. Because of the flexibility of the element 2'7, it may be readily snapped over the lugs 30 in assembling the parts, and cannot thereafter be detached without prying up of the end of the element 27,,but such detachment is, of course, impossible after the sup-. port has been built in a shoe.

The spring resilience of the element 2'7 tends to hold the parts in normal or unflexed position as shown in Fig. 1, and thereby to some extent, at

least, tends to preserve the shape of the shoe when not in use by restoring the shank and sole of the shoe to their original contours.

The support may advantageously be provided with means which limit the upward flexure thereof beyond any point which is necessary in the normal use of the shoe in walking. This pres vents excessive bending of the shoe at the line 2Q of the hinge when removing the shoe from the last. Any abnormal bending concentrated at the line of the hinge is likely slightly to mar the finish of the upper at this point. Such abnormal flexing or breaking of the upper is avoided, in the present case, by a limiting lug 32 integral with the bottom of the channel of the shank which extends underneath the member 11 beyond the hinge line 20. and is normally spaced therefrom but engages the under side of the member 11 to prevent flex-ure beyond what is normally necessary or desirable.

As here shown, the rear end of the shank 10 is forked as at 33 so as to straddle the screw .by

which the heel in a womans shoe is attached. Such a construction is, of course, not necessary in a mans shoe, since the heel is not so attached. The forward bearing member 26 is provided with a perforation 34 through which a tack or nail may pass in the event it is desired to anchor the support at the front end of the shoe. Anchorage at this point is generally unnecessary.

The features above described, while illustrated in the drawing as a support for a womans shoe may, of course, be embodied in a support for mens shoes.

In Figs. 6, '7 and .8 are illustrated a different v :o nstruc'tion for connecting the forward and rear elements of the support against longitudinal detachment. In the present case, they are shown embodied in a shank for a mans shoe which distinguishes from womens shoes generally only in the circumstance that it is possible to make it somewhat wider and desirable to make it heavier t provide the increased strength necessary for mens shoes. The shank 35 of the support is channel shaped in character and its flanges 36 project forwardly to provide hinge fingers 37 similar to the fingers 21 in the support above described. The forward section 38 of the support is similar in character to the support 11 above described, and its central hinge finger 39 is likewise channel shaped in section and lies inside the channel of the shank between the flanges 36, and when in normal position, rests against the bottom of the channel 35,. The fingers 37, in normal position, rest against the flanges 40 on the front section, which are similar in character to the flanges 24 of the section 11. The connecte ing means above mentioned, in this case, consists of a pair of lugs i1 and 42 which are struck inwardly from the bottoms of the channels 35 and 39 respectively. In assembling the portions of thesupport, the fingers thereof are telescoped until the lug l2 Snaps over and beyond the lug 41. As shown in Fig. 6, the engagement of the lugs prevents longitudinal detachment of the elements of the support without, however, interfering with the free flexing of the support (see Fig. 7). In other respects, the support is generally similar to that illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 except, of course, that the lugs 41 and 42 supplant the connecting element 2'1. A limitation lug similar to the lug 32 may be employed if desired, but the rugged character of mens shoes renders this less necessary than in women's shoes.

Obviously the invention is not limited to the details of the illustrative construction since these may be variously modified. Moreover, it is not =5 bottom being cut away at its forward end to leave the sides of the channel projecting forwardly beyond its bottom, a front support section of channel shape arranged with the bottom of its channel up and having flanges projecting laterally from the sides of the channel but termil nating short of the rear end of said section to leave the middle portion ofv the section project! ing rearwardly, the adjacent ends of said shank channel and said middle portion being shaped so that the latter will fit inside the former, said shank and front section being interfitted with said middle portion lying inside and above said shank channel and the projecting sides of the latter lying above flanges of the front section, whereby said shank and front section may flex upwardly but are limited in downward flexure.

2. In a ladys shoe characterized by a relatively narrow shank, the combination comprising a metal arch support extending from the heel to the fore part of the shoe between the insole and outsole, said support being relatively narrow at the shank and being channel shape in section to provide strength and arranged with the bottom of the chanel down, said bottom be ing cut away adjacent the end to leave the channel sides projecting beyond, a front support section having a channel section arranged with the bottom of the channel up and having flanges extending laterally from the sides of said channel but terminating short of the end of the channel leaving a portion of the channel projecting beyond, said support and front section being interfltted so that said projecting portion of said channel rests inside and upon the support channel, and the projecting sides of the latter rest on said flanges of the front section, whereby said support may flex upwardly but is limited in downward flexure.

3. A support of the character described comprising in combination, a channel-shaped shank adapted to extend along the shank of a shoe, a channel-shaped front section loosely hinged to said shank, and a flexible connection lying in the channels of said shank and front section and connected thereto for preventing detachment of said shank and front section.

4. A support of the character described comprising in combination, a channel-shaped shank adapted to extend along the shank of a shoe, a channel shaped front section loosely hinged to said shank, and a flat spring lying in the channel of said shank and connected thereto and extending into the channel of said front section, said front section having a projectinglug adapted to snap into a registering perforation in said spring to connect said shank and front section against detachment.

5. A support of the character described comprising in combination, a channel-shaped shank adapted to extend along the shank of a shoe, a channel shaped front section arranged with its channel inverted relatively to the channel in said shank and having its end resting inside the channel of said shank, means for hinging said shank and front section, and a lug projecting from the shank channel and adapted to engage the front section to limit the upward flexure of said support.

5. A support of the character described comprising in combination, a shank adapted to extend along the shank of a shoe, a front section hinged to said shank, the forward portion of said front section being doubled back on itself and shaped to provide a support for the metatarsal arch, the central inturned part of said doubled back portion being severed therefrom and left projecting at the front of said section to provide increased bearing surface for said support.

'7. A support of the character described comprising in combination, a channel-shaped shank adapted to extend along the shank of a shoe, a channel shaped front section arranged with its channel inverted relatively to the channel in said shank and having its end resting inside the channel of said shank, means for hinging said shank and front section, each of said channels having lugs projecting inwardly and adapted to snap over each other upon assembly of said shank and front section to prevent longitudinal detachment of said shank and front section.

8. An arch support for the shanks of shoes comprising a forepart and a rear part, the fore part having a rearwardly extending arm provided with laterally extending side portions, the rear part being cut away to receive the arm of the fore part and to define forwardly projecting arms for engaging the side portions of the fore part, the said arms of the rear part and the rearwardly extending arm of the fore part rockably connecting said parts together for swinging movement in one direction and for resisting movement in the opposite direction, and a spring connected to said parts resisting the rocking movement of said parts.

9. An arch support comprising a fore part, an independent rear part rockably connected to the fore part, and a longitudinally extending leaf spring connecting said parts resisting rocking movement of the parts in one direction.

10. An arch support of the character described comprising in combination, an elongated relatively narrow metal shank member adapted to extend along the shank of the shoe and being of pronounced channel section to provide stiffening side flanges which adapt the shank member to a narrow shank shoe, a front support section having a rearwardly projecting stiffening channel arranged with its bottom inverted relative to that of the bottom of the channel in said shank member, said front support section being formed to permit interengagement thereof with the shank member to provide a hinge by which the support may flex upwardly at the hinge, and means associated with said front section and said shank member at the hinge to limit downward flexure of the support.

11. A support of the character described com-- prising in combination, a shank adapted to extend along the shank of a shoe, a front section hinged to said shank, interengaging elements for limiting the downward flexure of the support,

and a projection on said support adjacent the gitudinally of said support, and means on said front section and shank adapted to engage the edges of said metal strip to prevent substantial lateral relative play of said front section and shank at the hinge.

13. A reinforcing arch construction for shoes, comprising a shank piece provided with outer and intermediate prongs at its forward end, a second piece having means for engaging the under side of the outer prongs and having a portion for overlying the intermediate prong, and means for preventing separation of said pieces, one of said pieces including a cavity in which the last mentioned means is received.

14. As an article of manufacture, a flap of sheet metal having at one end a bulged portion of substantially channel shape in cross section, said flap having portions extending in substantial parallelism to the web of said bulged portion, and being cut away adjacent the free end of the bulged portion.

15. As an article of manufacture, a flap of 16. As an article of manufacture, a shank piece having a forward substantially channel shaped portion providing a web and flanges and being notched at the flanges to provide web and flange prongs.

WILL. N. SECHLER. SAMUEL GOODMAN. 

